SCOPE: A Group two week sprint to redesign or design a feature to meet user and business needs.

ROLE: Research + Design ( Team of 4 )

DURATION: 2 Week

During a two-week sprint, our team of four researchers and designers took on the challenge of introducing a new feature to meet SoundCloud's business needs and address user pain points.

It was like a plot from a movie where a ragtag group of rookie UX Designers take on a team Design project for the first time. It was scary at first but off the bat I knew we had chemistry and I had a feeling this project was going to be fun.

 Our Prototype

"But how did we get here?"

DISCOVERY

To kick off the project, we identified SoundCloud as a Business to consumer platform its users are creators and listeners.

Then conducted brand research and gathered data on SoundCloud and its competitors. We discovered that many competitors offered a livestream feature, which sparked our interest.

To gain a deeper understanding of SoundCloud's users, we conducted interviews with six creators and listeners. Their feedback confirmed our focus on the creator side of the platform, as they expressed a desire for a livestreaming feature directly within the SoundCloud app.

DEFINE

Using the research and affinity mapping the results from the interviews we were able to build an archtype. We empathized with our target user by creating a persona and mapping out their journey on the app.

This allowed us to identify pain points and frustrations experienced by SoundCloud users, particularly creators looking to engage and grow their audience.

'Jackson needs a way to engage and grow his audience further to help him generate organic plays, monetize his content, and support himself as a full-time creator.'

DESIGN

Using research data to guide design decisions, we were able to develop our ideas into user flows for the user’s journey as a creator within SoundCloud.

With this in mind, we proposed a solution that consisted of two features: a status update feature for creators to engage their fans authentically and a livestream feature to create an intimate connection with fans.

To validate our ideas and gather feedback, we conducted usability testing with five participants, resulting in valuable qualitative data.

Users loved the livestream feature but suggested improvements, such as moving the 'go live' option to a central icon in the navigation rather than within their profiles.

DELIVER

Based on this feedback, we iterated on our designs and introduced an overlay button on the home screen as a central hub for all actions within the app.

Assessing the impact of our redesign, we concluded that SoundCloud's aim of connecting creators and listeners was effectively achieved with the new features. Creators, especially those with smaller followings, could leverage livestreaming to reach new audiences and grow their fanbase. Listeners benefited from the ability to receive updates and notifications from the artists they follow, enhancing their engagement. Additionally, the livestream feature helped to lower the bounce rate and increase visitation duration, aligning with both user needs and business goals. Live streaming is a globally trending feature that appeals to younger generations.

For future steps, we plan to explore monetization options for creators during livestreams, such as allowing fans to tip them, and enabling creators to fundraise for charities. These additions will further support SoundCloud's goal of empowering creators and strengthening their connection with fans."